Apparatus for increasing the density of yarn packages

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for winding a yarn package with increased density including a yarn supply, rotatable yarn distributing means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supporting base and a central core, and means associated with the turntable to raise and lower the turntable periodically in each revolution thereof.

United States Patent Eschenbach 51 July 1 1, 197 2 541 APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE 2,849,195 8/1958 Richardson et a1. 242/83 DENSITY OF YARN PACKAGES 3,000,075 9/1961 Bradshaw .,242/47.01 X 3,013,742 12/1961 Bittman ..242/83 [72] Eschmbach spammburg' 3,061,229 /1962 Crum ..242/83 [73] Assignee: Deering Milllken Research Corporation, 3,136,496 6/ 1 64 n---- /83 X Spartanburg, SC. 3,253,800 5/1966 Whitacre ..242/83 [22] Flled: Nov- 1970 Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath [21] Appl. No.: 92,079 Assistant ExaminerMilton Gerstein Att0rne v-Norman C. Armitage, H. William Petry and Arthur 52 US. c1 ..242/47, 28/21, 57/66,

242/82, 242/83 [51 1 1m. 01. ..Bh 54/00, B65h /02 1571 ABSTRACT [58] Field of semh 83; 28/21; Apparatus for winding a yarn package with increased density 57/66 including a yarn supply, rotatable yarn distributing means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supporting base [56] References cued and a central core, and means associated with the turntable to UNITED STATES PATENTS raise and lower the turntable periodically in each revolution thereof. 2,801,813 8/1957 Dempsey et al. ..242/83 2,404,742 7/1946 Polak et al ..57/66 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PKTENTEDJUL 11 I972 3,675,865

sum 1 [1F 2 49 FIG. l-

" INVENTOR. PAUL W. ESCHENBACH ATTORNE PATENTEDJuL 1 1 m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 I FIG. -'2- INVENTOR.

HENBACH 7% ATTORNEY PAUL w. ESC

APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE DENSITY F YARN PACKAGES This invention relates to novel apparatus for producing yarn packages with increased density and further relates to apparatus for use in association with a yarn package winder to produce more dense packages.

It has been proposed to bulk yarn in package form rather than in skeins. In order to be able to bulk yarn in a package, it is essential that the yarn winding pattern permit the yarn to contract without tightening on itself. Thus, a loose yarn pattern of a configuration as shown in FIGS. 3-5 of Polak et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,742 is desirable. One winding pattern which is particularly useful is that shown in FIG. which involves the looping of the yarn around a central core to provide an ascending series of yarn loops with a portion of each loop adjacent the core and another portion of each loop adjacent the periphery of the package.

A further consideration in the winding of such yarn packages is the desirability of maintaining a reasonable package density. If the density of the package is too low, the package will not have structural integrity and this may be accentuated during the bulking operation. Also, the height of the package may be excessive resulting in clearance problems during winding or other processing.

The present invention provides a novel apparatus for producing a yarn package with increased density. Furthermore, the invention provides apparatus for association with a yarn winder. In addition, existing winding equipment may be modified easily to produce such increased density packages.

Other advantages and benefits of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation of one form of winding apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a turntable and a cam of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the cam shown in FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged schematic side elevations showing the upper and lower positions of the turntable as it is rotated with respect to the cam in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, apparatus for forming a yarn package with increased density includes feed rolls 21 and 22, with roll 22 being driven by a motor (not shown) and roll 21 being movable toward and away from roll 22. Adjacent the rolls is a guide 23 and aspirator 24 which has an air passage therethrough joining a shaft 25. At the lower end of shaft 25 is a whorl tube 27. Shaft 25 is mounted for rotation in support 28. The whorl tube 27 and shaft 25 are rotated by a belt 29 driving a pulley 30 which is affixed to the upper portion of shaft 25 adjacent aspirator 24. Belt 29 is driven by suitable drive means (not shown).

Shaft 25 extends from the whorl tube 27 and to this extension is affixed a plate 32. The delivery portion of whorl tube 27 is positioned to extend through a portion of plate 32 adjacent the periphery thereof. Independently journalled below plate 32 is a reference base 33.

A yarn package turntable 34 is located in a position spaced from the whorl assembly with the axis of the turntable offset with respect to the axis of the whorl assembly. The turntable is carried by a slotted spindle 35 with the turntable engaging the slots thereof and movable longitudinally along the spindle.

A cam 36 is positioned below turntable 34 and bears against the bottom of the turntable 34. A drive shaft 37 is affixed to the lower portion of spindle 35. Drive shaft 37 is driven by a sprocket 38 which engages a chain 39.

Linear movement of turntable 34 along spindle 35 is effected through a bracket 41 having a crescent shaped extension 42 which supports cam 36. Bracket 41 is controlled by a suitable double acting cylinder (not shown). Turntable 34 is mounted near one end of a rotatable arm 43 which is pivotable on a shaft 44. Adjacent the opposite end of arm 43 is disposed a second turntable assembly with a similar arrangement of turntable 34, spindle 35, cam 36', drive shaft 37 and sprocket 38. This construction provides for the positioning of one turntable under the whorl tube for the formation of a yarn package and the subsequent pivoting of this turntable to a position remote from the whorl after the package is completed and the location of the second turntable under the whorl for the formation of another yarn package.

To change the yarn from a normally circular path, a yarn deflector 46 is positioned in the path of the yarn below the end of the whorl tube 27. Deflector 46 is maintained in its desired position by bracket 47 which is secured to support member 48 by spring clip 49.

As shown in FIG. 2, turntable 34 has an internal flange 51 circumscribing a central opening 52. Turntable 34 also has a pair of concentric circular reinforcements 53 and 54 with a plurality of radial ribs 55 disposed therebetween. Flange 51 is connected to reinforcement 53 by four equally spaced ribs 57.

As shown in FIG. 3, cam 36 has four tapered camming surfaces 58 each extending arranged in a circular configuration intermediate a central opening 59 and the periphery thereof. Each camming surface 58 tapers upwardly from one camming surface to a maximum at the dwell of the succeeding camming surface.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in the drawings, a package base 61 having spring core 62 is positioned on turntable 34. Yarn 63 from a package (not shown) is drawn between rolls 21 and 22, past guide 23 into aspirator 24. The yarn advances through shaft 25 by air moving through the shaft and is delivered from the end of whorl tube 27. The whorl tube is rotated at a much higher rpm than the rotation of turntable 34 by a belt 29 in contact with pulley 30. The yarn from whorl tube 27 is deflected by deflector 46 and passes downwardly around spring core 62 accumulating in an ascending series of overlapping loops on base 61.

As turntable 34 rotates, it is raised and lowered a short distance by its relative movement with respect to cam 36. This up and down movement is effected by ribs 57 of turntable 34 advancing upwardly along inclined camming surfaces 58 and dropping back to its original position as the ribs 57 reach the end of the camming surfaces 58. This return to its original position may be suddenly and with force depending upon the configuration of camming surfaces 58. When this occurs, the yarn which has loosely accumulated on the package base positioned on the turntable settles or packs into a more dense structure. Further rotation of the turntable causes the respective ribs 57 to engage succeeding camming surfaces 58 so that the turntable is raised and dropped a number of times in each revolution. Where the turntable has four ribs 57 and the cam has four camming surfaces 58 as shown in the drawings, the turntable would be raised and dropped four times in each revolution. The number of times the turntable is raised in each revolution will depend upon the particular type of yarn being wound. For example, with yarns which are very voluminous or have a great number of stray fibers or fuzz, the turntable should be raised and dropped with greater frequency than for more tightly twisted high density yarns.

To provide a yarn package with a uniform loop pattern from top to bottom, it is desirable to maintain the spacing substantially constant between the end of the whorl tube 27 and the deposition point of the yarn loops. This may be achieved in accordance with the apparatus of the invention by moving the turntable 34 and cam 36, prior to the beginning of the winding cycle, to a position close to the whorl tube with spring core 62 in contact with and compressed against reference base 33. This contact stops base 33 which normally rotates with plate 32. As yarn accumulates on the package base 61, turntable 34 and cam 36 move away from the whorl tube by lowering bracket 41 at a rate sufficient to maintain a substantially constant distance between the end of the whorl tube 27 and the plane in which the yarn loops are being deposited. During the formation of the yarn package, another package base is positioned on turntable 34 and upon completion of the winding of the first package, arm 43 is rotated so that turntable 34 moves from below whorl tube 27 and is replaced by turntable 34 can be made in the particular embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings within the scope of the invention. For example, the turntable and cam arrangement may be employed with other types of winding equipment than that shown in the drawings. Also, the cam and cam follower portions of the turntable may be of a different configuration. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding a yarn package with increased density including a yarn supply, rotatable yarn distributing means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supporting base and a central core, and means associated with said turntable to raise and lower said turntable periodically in each revolution thereof, said means to raise and lower said turntable including a cam with a plurality of camming surfaces.

2. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said camming surfaces are inclined surfaces arranged in a continuous circular configuration.

3. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said turntable includes a plurality of cam follower surfaces.

4. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the central core of said yarn collecting means is located offset with respect to the axis of said yarn distributing means.

5. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein yarn deflecting means is interposed between said yarn distributing means and said yarn collecting means capable of changing the pattern in which said yarn is deposited on said yarn collecting means.

6. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 including means for advancing said yarn collecting means toward said yarn distributing means to a predetermined spacing therefrom prior to delivery of yarn to said yarn collecting means, and means for moving said yarn collecting means away from said yarn distributing means as yarn accumulates on said yarn collecting means at a rate sufficient to maintain the spacing between said yarn distributing means and the yarn accumulated on said yarn collecting means. 

1. Apparatus for winding a yarn package with increased density including a yarn supply, rotatable yarn distributing means, rotatable yarn collecting means including a supporting base and a central core, and means associated with said turntable to raise and lower said turntable periodically in each revolution thereof, said means to raise and lower said turntable including a cam with a plurality of camming surfaces.
 2. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said camming surfaces are inclined surfaces arranged in a continuous circular configuration.
 3. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said turntable includes a plurality of cam follower surfaces.
 4. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the central core of said yarn collecting means is located offset with respect to the axis of said yarn distributing means.
 5. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein yarn deflecting means is interposed between said yarn distributing means and said yarn collecting means capable of changing the pattern in which said yarn is deposited on said yarn collecting means.
 6. Yarn winding apparatus according to claim 1 including means for advancing said yarn collecting means toward said yarn distributing means to a predetermined spacing therefrom prior to delivery of yarn to said yarn collecting means, and means for moving said yarn collecting means away from sAid yarn distributing means as yarn accumulates on said yarn collecting means at a rate sufficient to maintain the spacing between said yarn distributing means and the yarn accumulated on said yarn collecting means. 